Idols in Our Heart

2 And the word of the LORD came to me saying,

3 "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?

4 "Therefore speak to them, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity,

and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols,

5 "that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols." '

6 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.

     Ezekiel 14:2-6 (NKJV)

It’s easy to think that we’re not like those involved in pagan religious who worship carved gods. And it’s tempting to think that passages from the Old Testament denouncing the children of Israel for getting caught up in idolatry have no application to us. But they also set up idols in their heart, which is just as bad---and something we are prone to do.

Anything that we allow to take God’s rightful first place in our hearts can be an idol---pride, covetousness, love of self/money/position, etc.  They compromise our devotion and loyalty to the Lord. And whatever worldly thing we give undue priority and attention to will cause us to stumble and sin if not checked. As a result, we can actually become estranged from God because of these idols in our hearts.

I invite you to take inventory.  If there’s anything that’s taking your time, energy, resources or focus from God, heed His advice:  Repent and turn away from your idols.  Put God back as first priority in your heart and be renewed in your walk with Him.

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Knowledge

Living in a big university town, I see numerous people chasing after knowledge and education. Oftentimes it is the newest philosophy or theory. Sadly, their additional degrees and increased knowledge for knowledge sake doesn’t bring true wisdom or joy. Without God, everything is meaningless, as Solomon prefaced in Ecclesiastes 2:25 (for without him [God], who can eat or find enjoyment?).

Solomon concluded the book of Ecclesiastes with:

Ecclesiastes 12:11-14   The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. ¹² Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

¹³ Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
    for this is the duty of all mankind.
¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing,
    whether it is good or evil.

Solomon was probably the wisest wealthiest person that ever lived. Because God gave Israel peace during his reign, he also had all the time and resources to chase after anything he wanted – pleasure, greatness, possessions, accumulation, flattery, immortality, perfection, knowledge, etc. Solomon realized all of this was meaningless (without God), as we’ve read in Ecclesiastes this summer.

What meaningless thing or knowledge are you and I chasing?

Following God is beneficial for all ages, all people and for all time!!! Others around us can better understand this truth as we experience and exhibit the joy and satisfaction of chasing after God and following Him in our own lives!

Alice

Reading The Signs

When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!  I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.  Luke 15:17-19

Just when you think you have it figured out, life throws you a nasty curve ball.  A person who I followed online committed suicide yesterday. It was ironic considering the day was ‘Suicide Prevention Day.’  A young life of only 30 years would never see their fullest potential.  That made me incredibly sad.  What made it much worse was this was a pastor.  Now to be clear, no life matters more than another.  But this had far reaching ripple effects across many lives.  His wife.  Family.  The congregation he shepherded, and the thousands of others who followed him.  The one person who you would think to be immune to such harmful behaviors had somehow succumbed to the very thing he would at times preach about.

Why?  I began to question my own faith for I felt either a lack of response from or distance between God and me.  This is not what I signed up for.  I struggled continually to find an answer, but alas, I could not.  I was suddenly in that very lonely place: lost.  When I first gave my life to Christ as an adult, my pastor back then spoke about being lost.  However, that was more about someone who had been wandering aimlessly like the Prodigal Son than a long-time believer like me.  Then it occurred to me I was wrong.  Being lost is not just about knowing where you are.  Sometimes, it’s about recognizing you are not where you are supposed to be.  As I thought more about it, perhaps the pastor was close to God, but somehow lost his way.  He knew where he was, but did not see the signs directing him where he was going.  As a result, he found a way that ended in his death not knowing the wrong path he had gone down.

Recognizing where you are is always important in finding God.  My pastor this week talked about having a sense of direction.  He mentioned about a sibling of his driving for miles without recognizing where they were.  Sometimes, our journey of faith will take us somewhere, and we make the wrong turn.  It’s important to have God as a compass.  Sometimes, it is to give a guidance as to what path to take.  However, there is more to it than that.  Other times it is to simply read the signs to know if we are going the right way.  The Prodigal Son had reached a point in his journey where he realized not only had he gone the wrong way but also was not where he belonged.  You see the story is not always one dimensional.  We see it most often as it never being too late to come back to God and how His grace alone is enough.  In reading this, we can add to the meaning saying that if we know who our Father is, we too can find when we are indeed lost.  We too can see where we do not belong, and can begin to make a way to where we do.

God is always there watching to lead the way if we are in tune with Him.  Prior to the story, Jesus said, “there is joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:7b)  Many of you are taking your walk of faith, and doing so with a clear sense of God’s direction.  That is great.  I write to you today not because I have lost God.  I write because if you are like me, sometimes you know you’re not exactly where you should be.  And that’s ok!  Just acknowledge where you are and move down the path that will lead you closer to where God wants you.  Do you know where you are with God today?  What hints can give you a sense if you are on the righteous path?  My prayer is that we are wary of our relationship with God, and make sure to read the signs.  Amen.

Radically Different

Colossians 3:1-3

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Yesterday started the first day back to Sunday School for this fall at my church.  This year I am co-teaching the Jr High.  Our study this semester will be using a book called Radically Different.  We are studying Colossians 3:1-4:1. 

As we start into Colossians, we are told to take the old sinful beings that we are and to get rid of it.  We are to take off what we have been.  As we continue through the chapter, we will learn about how we are to put on new with Christ.

As we read in the beginning, this applies to those of us that have been raised with Christ.  We have set our hearts on things above, not on earthly things.  To me, this tells me that I need to raise my expectations of how I should be seen by the world.  The world accepts anything that feels good at the time but as Christians, we must set our focus on Heaven.

What will you do today to raise your expectations of yourself beyond what the world expects?